UNC football vs FAMU final score, live updates in 2022 opening game
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
UNC football kicks off its 2022 season with a Week Zero HBCU Celebration Game against Florida A&M in Chapel Hill.
Kickoff is at 8 p.m. at Kenan Memorial Stadium and the game will be broadcast on the ACC Network.
The Tar Heels will play in their first-ever Week Zero game, hosting the Rattlers with events and activities planned around the weekend to celebrate historically black colleges and universities.
The first-ever meeting between the two football programs was in jeopardy Friday as FAMU dealt with eligibility issues that ruled out 25 players.
Rattlers coach Willie Simmons said in a statement that the team initially decided to not play after learning Thursday night that half of its offensive linemen were deemed ineligible, including three others who are dealing with injuries.
There were no details released as to why these players were ineligible.
The team decided to play instead of forfeiting the $450,000 guaranteed for participating in what amounts to a tune-up for the Tar Heels.
GAME ON: FAMU almost canceled game but will play UNC football minus 20 ineligible players
GRIMES INJURED: UNC defensive back Tony Grimes leaves game vs FAMU with injury
UNC coach Mack Brown named Drake Maye the Tar Heels' starting quarterback Monday, handing the reins to the redshirtfreshman who will step in to lead after the departure of the record-setting Sam Howell, now a member of the NFL's Washington Commanders.
Florida A&M is coached by Clemson alum Willie Simmons, who threw four touchdown passes to rally the Tigers from a 17-0 deficit to beat UNC 38-24 on Oct. 21, 2000.
Brown is 26-7 all-time in season openers, including 10-3 as UNC’s head coach.
UNTESTED TALENT: UNC football coach Mack Brown has 'more unanswered questions right now than any other time in my career'
'JUST KEEP GOING': After injuries, UNC football’s D.J. Jones starting RB for Tar Heels
FUTURE HEELS: UNC football recruiting: Commits from Class of 2023
UNC football vs. Florida A&M live updates, score
Drake Maye run sets up UNC TD
In his season-opening start after record-setter Sam Howell's departure to the NFL, UNC quarterback Drake Maye broke loose for a 42-yard run to set up a 19-yard touchdown pass to Kamari Morales.
UNC leads 7-0 with 5:51 left in the first quarter.
FAMU evens it up
The Rattlers notched a scoring drive to end the first quarter, with AJ Davis catching a 17-yard TD pass from Jeremy Moussa.
With 3:21 left in the first quarter, the score is tied 7-all.
UNC scores again
The Tar Heels squeezed in another score with 29 seconds left in the first quarter as Maye found Bryson Nesbit with a 23-yard touchdown pass.
The score is UNC 14, Florida A&M 7 at the end of the first quarter.
Maye completed 7 of 9 passes for 99 yards with two touchdowns in the first quarter.
Heels go four it on 4th down
UNC's gamble on fourth-and-goal from the 4-yard line paid off with a touchdown pass to Gavin Blackwell for Maye's third passing TD of the game.
With 7:39 left in the first half, UNC leads 21-7.
FAMU not going away
The Rattlers converted a pair of fourth downs on the way to the end zone, scoring on a five-yard run by Jaylen McCloud to get within 21-14 with 2:01 left in the second quarter.
Storm Duck pick sets up UNC TD
Storm Duck's interception gave the ball back to UNC on FAMU's 21-yard line with 30 seconds left in the half, and Maye tossed his fourth TD pass of the first half with a five-yarder to Josh Downs. The Tar Heels lead 28-14 at halftime.
Halftime stats
Maye completed 19 of 24 pass attempts for 177 yards and four TDs in the first half, with a QB rating of 196.1. He also had 42 yards rushing on two carries.
Downs was his favorite target with six catches for 41 yards.
True freshman Omarion Hampton was the Heels' leading rusher in the first half with eight carries for 49 yards.
Power Echols led UNC's defense with nine tackles (eight solo, two for loss). But that side of the ball was a problem for the Heels, who gave up 216 total yards of offense in the first half that included 181 passing yards.
UNC stretches lead
About eight minutes into the second half, UNC scored on Hampton's 1-yard plunge to go up 35-14.
Rattlers score
Jose Romo-Martinez kicked a 35-yard field goal with 7:41 left in the third quarter to cut UNC's lead to 35-17.
More Moussa
FAMU quarterback Jeremy Moussa throws his second TD pass, this time a 22-yard to Trevonte Davis with 1:18 left in the third. UNC leads 35-24.
Moussa has completed 25 of 33 passes for 262 yards.
Pettaway puts UNC up 42-24
True freshman George Pettaway from Suffolk, Virginia, scored on a 29-yard run with 13:24 left in the game to put UNC up 42-24.
Maye tosses 5th TD pass
Power Echols forced a fumble and DeAndre Boykins recovered on the FAMU 27-yard line to give the ball back to the Tar Heels. Maye found Downs on the first play after the turnover with a 27-yard TD pass to extend UNC's lead to 49-24 with 12:37 remaining.
Maye is the first North Carolina player to throw five TD passes in his first start and he's also the first Heel to throw five TD players in a season opener.
Hampton again
Hampton found the end zone again on a 25-yard run with 8:14 left to push UNC's lead to 56-24. That score would hold for the final.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: UNC football vs. FAMU: Live score updates from Chapel Hill
